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About the June Andrews Awards

 

  • Four specialist journalism awards – to be known as the “June Andrews Awards” – will be presented by the Walkley Foundation in 2020.
  • They are being called the “June Andrews Awards” for the first time, but each of the four award categories have existed for several years.
  • The four awards have been renamed to acknowledge one of the Walkley Foundation’s major donors, June Andrews, the sister-in-law of our founder Sir William Gaston Walkley.
  • The June Andrews Awards will be awarded at the Walkley Foundation Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney on Wednesday June 17, 2020. 
  • There are 14 awards to be presented on the night. We also announce scholarships and grant winners. 
  • They are distinct from the Walkley Awards, given out later in the year, which also have a different trophy.

The newly-named awards are: 

  1. The June Andrews Award for Freelance Journalist of the Year
    (an award in this category was first made in 2012)
  2. The June Andrews Award for Women’s Leadership in Media
    (an award in this category was first made in 2016)
  3. The June Andrews Award for Arts Journalism
    (an award in this category was first made in 2017)
  4. The June Andrews Awards for Industrial Relations Reporting in memory of Helen O’Flynn and Alan Knight
    (an award in this category was first made in 2017)

How to refer to the June Andrews Awards 

Verbally

If you are referring to one award, use the full name of the award:

“The June Andrews Award for …., presented by the Walkley Foundation” 

If you are referring to the four awards, refer to them as:

“The June Andrews Awards, presented by the Walkley Foundation”

In writing

Use the full name of the award: 

“The June Andrews Award for …., presented by the Walkley Foundation” 

Social Media

On social media, tag the Walkley Foundation on its social media handles and always use the #walkleys hashtag. 

“The June Andrews Award for …., presented by the @walkleys Foundation”

  • Twitter @walkleys
  • Instagram @thewalkleys
  • Facebook @walkleys
  • LinkedIn: The Walkley Foundation for Journalism

 

About Sir William Gaston Walkley

  • a New Zealand-born oil industry leader who moved to Sydney in 1936
  • set up the prize celebrating Australia’s best journalism in 1956 in his name (initially called The W. G. Walkley Awards for Australian Journalism)
  • died in 1976, leaving a bequest to maintain the awards
  • known for enjoying journalists’ company and often said they never misquoted him, nor betrayed a confidence

 

About June Andrews

June Andrews

  • Sir William Walkley’s sister-in-law
  • died in 2017
  • left a $1 million bequest to the Walkley Foundation
  • second significant bequestor from the Walkley family
  • one of the Walkley Foundation’s biggest donors

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are these awards “Walkley Awards”?

A: No. These awards are not Walkley Awards, which have a different trophy and are presented later in the year. These awards are “Walkley Foundation awards”, presented at the Walkley Foundation Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism

Q: Are they new awards?

A: No. Each of the four award categories have each existed for several years.

Q: Why are they named after June Andrews?

A: The four awards have been renamed to acknowledge one of the Walkley Foundation’s major donors, June Andrews.

Q: Who is June Andrews?

A: June Andrews was the sister-in-law of Sir William Gaston Walkley, who set up the Walkley Awards in his own name in 1956. (He died 20 years later in 1976 and left a bequest to maintain the awards.) June Andrews died in 2017 and left a bequest of $1 million to the Walkley Foundation. 

Q: Did June Andrews specify the awards be given in her name?

A: No, she did not. This is an initiative of the Walkley Foundation.

Q: Will these awards be called the “June Andrews Awards” each year?

A: Yes they will. These awards will be known as the June Andrews Awards from now on.

Q: What do the awards signify?

A: The awards recognise the top journalists in the areas of freelance journalism, women’s leadership in media, arts journalism and industrial relations reporting.

Q: How many awards are given out at the Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism?

There are 14 awards in all. We also announce the winners of grants and scholarships.

Q: What are the other awards?

There are seven categories in the Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards as well as the Our Watch Award, the Media Diversity Australia Award and the Pascall Prize for arts criticism. 

Q: What are the scholarships?

Q:  What are the grants?

In 2020 the Walkley Foundation is offering a total grant pool of $110,000 to fund public interest journalism. There are three grant opportunities closing April 26, 2020:

  • Walkley Grants for Freelance Journalism on Regional Australia: A total of $75,000 in grants will be awarded to assist Australian freelance journalists to produce a significant work of journalism in any medium. In 2020 we are calling for projects on the theme “Reporting Regional Australia.” The judges are looking for original journalism with public interest value and impact. Stories that surprise, educate and make a difference. These grants are funded by the Walkley Public Fund and Twitter Australia.
  • Judith Neilson Institute Freelance Grant for Asian Journalism: A total of $25,000 in grants will be awarded to assist Australian freelance journalists to produce a significant work of journalism in any medium. These grants are supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
  • Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific Journalism: One grant of $10,000 will be awarded annually to assist an Australian journalist (freelance or employed) to produce a significant work of journalism in any medium. The work will give voice to Pacific island perspectives on an under-reported issue or development of importance to Australia and the region.
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